City Lights
by waldorbes
Summary: The Glee club have finally graduated and Rachel is going to New York City to pursue her dream. But who she's going with... Just might surprise you.   T for language.


Graduation day. Puck didn't think it ever would have come. And to think, it came with a championship prize for both Glee and football. So what if he wasn't going to a good college? With his grades, his mom should have been happy that he was going to a school period. Not that it was what he really wanted with his life. He really wanted to be alone with his guitar, or use it in some way to keep himself alive. He wasn't naïve, though. He knew that being a star was a one in a million shot, and he already knew who that one was.

The Glee club had become his real friends. He had figured that out years ago, he just never wanted to admit it. Although, partying in the basement of Artie Abrams wasn't something he thought he'd be doing. He was, actually, having the time of his life. Sure, he didn't want to admit it, but it was the truth.

The coffee-colored male took a sip of his purple drink and scanned the basement. Everyone was on one half of the basement, talking and laughing, with one noticeably absent presence.

The same presence that he knew would one day become a star – Rachel Berry. He continued to scan until he happened upon a dark head sitting alone on a couch away from the crowd. Puck sauntered his way over and sat down delicately next to Rachel, his arm automatically going around her shoulders, resting on the back of the couch.

"Why if it isn't my favorite little Jewish American Princess," he said smugly, earning the smallest of smirks from the new graduate. Sure, the term could have been considered derogatory, but he knew that Rachel secretly liked it simply based off of the tiny smirks that would pull onto her lips whenever he said it.

"Why all alone?" he asked, leaning forward to find what she was looking at so intently. On her lap laid their yearbook, open to the page he had claimed as his own to write.

"I'm just thinking," she responded, her dark eyes trained on her yearbook.

"When don't you think? Come on, Rach. We just graduated high school. How about you take a break from thinking before going to college?" he asked, his body shifting so his elbows rested on his knees, his side playfully nudging hers.

"I think I'm going to go to New York instead of continue my education. I want to be on Broadway and see if that leads into a proper music career," she said suddenly, looking over at the man who at one time called her his best friend.

"We both know it's going to happen. You're Rachel Fucking Berry. Sure, I might wish there was more emphasis on the fucking but…" Puck laughed and earned a slap on the arm from Rachel, even if he did see her smile.

"Noah, stop being so vulgar."

"You'd miss my mouth if I did."

"Well, at least cut back. You know how I feel about that sort of language and if you're going to be accompanying me, I'd rather not hear it constantly," she said, looking back down at his page long letter to her in her yearbook. Puck's dark brow rose in confusion.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Rachel answered his question by pointing to the end of his novel-like letter.

"'Don't forget about me when you're a huge star.' I won't, Noah," she turned to look at him with a soft smile on her lips. "Because I want you to be there when it happens. Come with me to New York."

Puck was completely stunned by her request. And it took a lot to shock him into silence, much like with Rachel. Sure, he would have done anything to get the hell out of Lima and not be another Lima Loser, but at the same time, he was terrified of leaving the only home he knew. Sure, he wasn't a stranger to New York thanks to Glee Club nationals, but those trips were just for about a week, not actually living there.

"I don't know, Rach…"

"Oh come on, Noah. I've saved up plenty of money to sustain us for a while. We can easily get jobs for our talent." She seemed so sure of everything and so sure of him. He couldn't remember a time when anyone had been so sure of him in his life. And yet, here Rachel, completely believed in him and all he could do. It was an odd feeling but it made him feel good.

"You really think we can make it together?" he asked in a low voice, his dark brows lofting upwards in worry. Rachel simply gave him a reassuring smile and nodded at him.

"I know we can, Noah," she said, her hand placing itself delicately on his. Her dark eyes watched his. They softened from fear into happiness. He actually was starting to truly believe her. He nodded slowly and gave her a warm smile back.

"Okay, okay. We'll go to New York, and we'll hit it big. And we'll make the whole world think that we're secretly banging and going to have a shitload of babies." Puck said, nudging her again, his signature smirk clear on his lips. Although Rachel smacked his arm for his language, he knew that she secretly liked the idea.

Who wouldn't? He was Puckzilla.

Okay, so with her, he was someone different but that was beside the point.

Wasn't it?

"Plus," she added, looking away from him for a moment. He saw her eyes change. From his position next to her, he couldn't quite determine the emotion behind them.

"I figured, while we were there, we could look for Shelby. I know I said that I had put her behind me after that had happened but I do miss her. And I think it would be good if you got to see Beth. She'd be about two by now. You deserve to see your daughter, Noah."

And he swore, at that moment, he could have kissed her. The daughter that he and Quinn decided to give away had been on his mind from the day he signed her over, but he never had the money or time to try and find her. But if they went to New York, there was a good chance that they would find Shelby.

"I should really kick Finn's ass from here to Hong Kong," he said in disbelief, shaking his head. Rachel just shook her head and laughed.

"Why?"

"Because he fucked up with an amazing girl like you." The pair laughed as Puck wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her in, placing a soft kiss on her head.

"So when do we leave?" he asked, looking down at her. Rachel looked up at her friend and smiled.

"In two weeks." Puck slowly nodded. Two weeks wasn't a lot of time at all but he would be ready. He had to be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN; I don't own the fandom or the characters. Obvi. This fic is dedicated to Ares, the best Puck in the world. ilyboo.**


End file.
